Leslie Teachers Speak Out

They made noise with a silent T-shirt protest. Now, Leslie teachers are bringing the shirts and their voices to the school board.

Teachers in Leslie have been working without a contract since July.

now leslie teachers are bringing their t-shirts and their voices to the leslie school board.

"We need a contract. We want a contract. It's all we've been asking for for months and months," Leslie Teachers Association President Alice Kenyon.

But they also want a better contract.

Neither side is revealing many details. Teachers say the issues are healthcare and the school calendar -- administrators will only say that the dispute is of a financial nature. And teachers union officials say negotiations are stalled.

"We have it happen more than one time. We thought we had a contract. It happened most recently at the beginning of the month," Kenyon said.

Leslie Board of Education President Larry Steckelberg says contract discussions are going on -- and the district is doing the best it can.

"We're in negotiations, we have been for many months -- under a difficult budget, with rising healthcare costs and rising retirement costs," Steckelberg said.

Despite the controversy of teachers wearing the 'no contract' t-shirts to school, and now, to the board meeting, Steckelberg says he's not upset with the teachers for speaking out.

"They're here expressing their interests. They're saying why they are an important part of the district. And we agree with that: they are an important part of the district," Steckelberg said.

Teachers say if they don't have a contract by the time the next school board meeting rolls around, they'll be back to voice their displeasure.

Neither side of the dispute will say when they think a contract could be worked out.

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